The Big L Biopic (Put It On) Canceled: A Journey Cut Short of Production

In this pause, we anticipate the resumption of Big L's story on a platform that befits his legacy. For now, we extend our gratitude to Jesse (Daze) Swindell and Kevin Townley and the entire cast and staff for their valiant efforts, and we eagerly await the day when Big L's tale graces the silver screen, a tribute befitting the indelible mark he left on the world of hip-hop.

Actor/ rapper Sean Jenkins as Big L in record shop signing original album for store owner

In the world of entertainment, projects often go through numerous ups and downs before reaching the big screen. Such is the case with the highly-anticipated biopic of the legendary rapper, Big L, titled "PUT IT ON." Unfortunately, after a series of setbacks and challenges, the project has been officially canceled. Let's take a closer look at the journey behind the scenes.

James (Big Lee right hand man) , Jesse (Daze) Swindell film producer, Leroy Phinazee Jr. (lil Lee) Executive producer

In 2018, the hip-hop world was buzzing with excitement when news broke about the Big L biopic titled "Put It On." The script, masterfully crafted by Jesse (Daze) Swindell, received assistance from Big L's nephew, Leroy Phinazee Jr., and his brother, Don, along with other close family and friends. However, amidst personal tragedies and various challenges, the project faced unexpected setbacks, leading to its eventual cancellation. A Tragic Turn of Events: The year 2019 brought heart-wrenching news as Leroy Phinazee Jr., also known as Lil Lee, was tragically shot and killed on the very block where his father and uncle, Big Lee and Big L, respectively, met their untimely fates.

Put It On Movie cast and staff

Lil Lee's death, coupled with online feuds involving members of D.I.T.C (Diggin' in the Crates Crew), added to the already mounting difficulties faced by the biopic. A New Partnership: Realizing the need to overcome these obstacles, Jesse (Daze) Swindell decided to seek a new path forward. He teamed up with film producer Kevin Townley, hoping that this partnership would breathe new life into the project.

The path to bringing Big L's story to life proved to be an uphill battle.

Their collaboration aimed to resurrect the "Put It On" biopic and honor the legacy of the late rap legend, Big L. Casting Call and Progress: In the midst of the 2020 pandemic, despite the challenging circumstances, a casting call was held in the South Bronx at a local studio to search for the perfect actors to portray the lead characters in "Put It On." Sean Jenkins was selected to embody the late rap legend, receiving the esteemed co-sign from Big L's childhood friend, Herb McGruf

Sean Jenkins as Big L and the real Herb McGruff on set

With McGruff's endorsement, the project began to gain momentum. An Ambitious Sizzle: The passion behind the project was evident as the full cast, including portrayals of Big L, Fat Joe, Jay-Z, Big Pun, Lord Finesse, and Biggie Smalls, came together. The team shot 85% of an impressive sizzle reel on the actual streets of Harlem, capturing the essence of the era and the spirit of Big L. Over the course of a week, they meticulously crafted a 15-minute preview, showcasing their dedication and talent.

Big L and Biggie portrayed in 139st park

Obstacles and Heartbreak: Unfortunately, the road to success was not without its hurdles. The project encountered yet another setback when Big L's brother, Don, and the Big L estate decided against moving forward. Other documentaries and the sale of Big L's masters complicated the clearance process, leading to disagreement among family members involved.

Sean Jenkins as Big L, and Chavar Smalls as Big Lee posted in Harlem on 140th & Lenox

Despite the cast's dedication and enthusiasm, the project hit a major roadblock. The End of the Road: With years of frustration mounting, Jesse (Daze) Swindell made the difficult decision to throw in the towel, acknowledging that the project's journey had come to an end. However, in a final tribute to Big L's legacy, the sizzle reel, crafted with love and passion in 2020, will be released to the public before 2023 ends. Looking to the Future: Though "Put It On" may have met an unfortunate end, the story of Big L and his impact on the hip-hop community remains relevant and deserving of a cinematic portrayal. Jesse (Daze) Swindell, despite the challenges faced, still holds hope for a future film or documentary that will honor the late rapper's legacy.

Sean Jenkins as Big L and Tammi Bailey as Gilder (Pinky) Terry, Big L’s mother, on set filming his final words to her

Conclusion: The cancellation of the Big L biopic "Put It On" leaves a lingering sense of what could have been. As we bid farewell to one cinematic endeavor, we hold onto the optimism that the Big L estate, in collaboration with passionate filmmakers and the support of New York's hip-hop royalty, will produce something extraordinary in honor of the legendary lyricist.

All Eyez On Me: The Making of the Tupac Biopic

 “ALL EYEZ ON ME” is the fourth studio album by Original rapper 2Pac Tupac Shakur, released on February 13, 1996 under Death Row Records and distributed by Interscope Records.

The album is frequently recognized as one of the crowning achievements of the 1990s rap era. The album featured the number one singles "How Do U Want It" and "California Love". It featured five singles in all the most of any of Tupac albums. “ALL EYE’Z ON ME” (which was the only Death Row release to be distributed through PolyGram by way of Island Records) made history as the first full length hip-hop solo double album released for mass consumption. It was issued on two compact discs and four LPs. This was also the last album under Death Row to be labeled G-Funk record, as G Funk wouldn't exist after Daz Dillinger's album in 1998.

“ALL EYE’Z ON ME” was the second hit album from 2Pac to reach number one on both the Billboard and the R&B/Hip-Hop charts. The album won the 1997 Soul Train Album of the Year. Tupac also won the Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist at the 24th Annual AMA’s and is also commonly referred to as one of the greatest hip hop/rap albums of all time. The album was certified Diamond by the RIAA on July 23, 2014.

        Actual photo : Tupac Shakur's New York State  Department Of Corrections ID

As you know one year before in October of 1995, Marion Suge Knight and Jimmy Iovine paid the $1.4 million bail dollars necessary to get Tupac released from Clinton Correctional facilities on appeal which Madonna was going to put up, because at the time Pac was destitute and unable to make bail. “All EYE’Z ON ME” was released following an agreement between Knight and Tupac Shakur which stated Pac would make three albums under Death Row Records in return for them paying his bail. Fulfilling part of Tupac's brand new contract, that was as thin as the loose leaf paper it was written on… This double album served as the first two albums of his ludicrous three album deal.

Demetrius Shipp Jr. as Tupac Shakur

YES The Movie is finally being filmed I had a brief encounter with the lead actor Demetrius Shipp in LA at a Leila Steinberg event in 2012. Even then I thought it was uncanny the resemblance of Pac as if he had surgery or something, but reconsidered naaaaaah he was too young that was 5 years ago…  Anyway “All EYEZ ON ME” is the bio-pic and Demetrius Shipp Jr is the actor that has been chosen to play Tupac Shakur in the upcoming movie. James G and David Robinson producers/Morgan Creek is the film company, "Director Benny Boom and L.T. Hutton is another executive producer who is also key in piecing together this edgy silver screen adventure,” but I do know Shipp has been given the lead role as Tupac. Production of which was filmed in Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles of course.

Shipp's father worked in the music industry and is rumored to have produced a 2pac song “Toss It Up” which is how Demetrius met Pac as a child and "he's been a huge fan ever since. Demetrius was new to acting when I met him 5yrs. ago before landing the lead role, but his family already knew he was going to play Pac and told me they were going to put him in acting classes. Then the project was scratched. Again the talks surfaced again and him in the role based on his striking resemblance to the late Tupac Shakur. It’s also rumored he's been taking crash courses in acting four days a week to get ready for the part and that’s why the movie took so long to get started on production.

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This movie is supposed to follow Pac’s story through the entire life of Pac from the Black Panther days all the way through the shooting of Tupac on Koval & Flamingo which led to his untimely demise in 96…

Because they’re keeping everything under wraps it was hard getting the skinny on the key players however I’ve found out a little like ‘Kat Graham’ of the “Vampire Diaries” is rumored to have been cast to play Jada Pinkett she has filled that slot *BAM* ‘Jamal Woolard’ will play Biggie Smalls which is no surprise to me, because he played Biggie in the film “Notorious” about ‘Christopher Wallace’, and did a bomb ass job. ‘Stefon Washington is rumored to appear in the movie as Diddy. Danai Guira( The Walking Dead) will appear as a Young Afeni Shakur congratulations on your BLACK GIRLS ROCK award. ‘Dominick Satana’ is striking in his appearance as Marion Suge Knight.  The man known as Haitian Jack will be played by Cory Hardict. Lauren Cohen as Leila Steinberg, Jaime Hector as Mutulu Shakur, Clifton Powell, as an Inmate in Clinton Correctional Facility,

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“Side note” y’all know who Haitian Jack is right? He is most notably recognized as the guy who allegedly set Pac up with the hooker that cried rape and sent a brother to prison for sodomy.  What you don’t know is back Before Pac was signed to Death Row (Interscope Geffen A&M) signed Tupac after his smashing performance in the film “Juice” he put out 2pacalyse but Interscope didn’t kick in the funds like they should have, like they knew what he was worth, so it’s rumored that his fans approached him one day and blessed with all this gold jewelry. Allegedly ‘Haitian Jack’ was one of the fans, and said you don’t look like a superstar, you should be dipped in ice and gifted him with a mass amount of 14k gold chains, rings, watches, and medallions.

                                                Tupac (Center) Haitian Jack (Right) 

Allegedly sometime after 2Pac started getting some recognition from the film he did with ‘Janet Jackson’ “Poetic Justice” Haitian Jack figured it was time to withdraw from Pac like an ATM. However Shakur was like yo “you been hanging out with me blowing spices every night, and I’ve been treating y’all to a Rap superstar lifestyle, nobody has done that for you. V.I.P.  Everywhere all the babes you could fuck we should be even. Haitian Jack was reluctant and declined the proposition that’s when they fell on bad terms.

Y’all don’t know this but Haitian Jack is known as a big Shot caller in the streets of Brooklyn over all the West Indians, Jamaicans, Trinidadians, and Haitians. Allegedly the position was given to him by the Italian Mafia in Brooklyn. This means he owns the streets in certain parts of Bk, and if you’re a player on the streets and you’re West Indian you have to answer to him. That also meant Biggie Smalls as well.  If you remember in “Notorious” biggie tried to warn Tupac. When Christopher Wallace seen him with those dudes at a club in New York City, he was like “Yo Pac you know who that is, you need to be careful the people you hang around with them some serious dudes”.

Now if you look up (“Jimmy Rosemond” his government name) aka (Jimmy Henchmen his hood name) you’ll find out this guy allegedly helped (Haitian Jack) carve out a spot in the streets of a Brooklyn neighborhood with a lot of ruthless gunplay. These guys were street legends and known criminals on the streets.

One thing led to another with Jack and Shakur they engaged few yelling matches, so forth and so on, so Jimmy Rosemond and his goons ambushed the legendary rapper in quad studios, they got to jerking on them hammers and shot the brother for the jewels in question.

Okay back to the film… ‘Grace Gibson’ is rumored to be casted as Faith Evans… I love me some Faith don’t nobody better not say nuthin bad about Faith Evans… lmao…

I personally had to sit down with some of the known Outlawz Young Noble & E.D. I mean, who are playing themselves in the bio-pic, or I refused to write the story, and this is what they had to say about the bio-pic.

                 OutLawz : Hussein Fatal (Left) Young Noble (center) E.D.I. Mean (right)

To start the conversation I had to pay homage to Hussein Fatal & of course Tupac Shakur who passed on into the essence July of 2015, (Rest In Peace Hussein Fatal) Then what I asked Young Noble first was how far are they going back in this film? and he confirmed they’re going back all the way back to the Panther-21 and the lessons he learned from his mother Afeni and Mutulu Shakur, Geronimo Pratt, so as a treat you guys will finally get to sit at the kitchen table with Tupac as a kid while he learns his lessons, and see why he was such a prolific an emcee.

                      Demetrius on set  as young Tupac along side Director Benny Boom

While we were conversing Noble made it very clear he approves very much of the actor (Demetrius Shipp) in the role of Tupac. Young Noble says of young Demetrius has captured the different personalities that Shakur would exhibit and you know Pac was a Gemini so he had multiple personalities, and on top of that he was groomed in a day & time when you could count on black soldiers to be soldiers. There are so many different levels to Pac, he’s like a diamond so many different faucets you land on one level and you think that’s it with him, and surprise there’s another level. He continues with it’s obvious you can’t put 25 years into 2+1/2 hours, but they’re doing a hellava good job.

SG Magazine CEO DAZE (left) Dominic Santana as "Suge Knight" (center) KaraElyse (right)

Check out our interview with Dominique Santana as Suge Knight

https://soundcloud.com/milliondollarmindset/dominicsantanamilliondollarmindset

The Outlawz as a crew is significant in the life of Shakur from 1995 through Kadafi who is Pac’s half-brother, which they (The Outlawz) all grew up together in New Jersey. Now as far as the other Outlawz“Castro” didn’t want anybody playing him, and “Napoleon” lives in Saudi Arabia and is a devout Muslim, and you don’t use their likeness without their consent. He went on to say that Morgan Creek did hire Courtney James as Yaki Kadafi, and to play Hussein Fatal is a young man by the name of Jermaine Carter, and Rayan Lawrence as Treach of Naughty by Nature…

When asked about Leila Steinberg he says she approves of the making of the movie as they were shooting for 6 days a week for 4-5 months, and that’s how they’re getting it done. They shot the movie in three different stages of Pac’s life in one day, so he can go from a Gumby to a bald head in a matter of hours.

                                            Demetrius as Tupac on set in Vegas

Read full article by: Jaye Swift inside Scrilla Guerillaz Magazine issue 15 available now WWW.SGZMAG.COM